Blake Finley wrote in January, 2001:

"Al Morrison was a straight shooter and cut to the quick when he communicated. I was lucky enough to correspond with him continually for over 12 years. With a penchant for mysteries, he shared core information that few knew or understood. He was not interested in the trivial or trendy.

"His CAO Times astrological journal was full of articles that will be interesting and thought-provoking for years to come, and I believe any issue an astrologer can locate will be well worth the find; I have mine bound and on the reference shelf along with issues of Astrology Now. Al may not have been cheery and popular, but he made a deep mark on serious astrology and will be revered in years to come. I miss his letters."

Blake Finley

Zane B. Stein says,

"Al H. Morrison was not only a friend, but also my mentor.  His no-nonsense attitude towards astrology often helped me to steer away from blind alleys and dead ends.  And it was his support that encouraged me to forge ahead in my research of the new body Chiron, shortly after its discovery. Conversations with Al always contained astrological treasures, and so did his many many letters. I learned more from him than from any books I've read, before or since. 

"Al almost single-handedly brought the Void of Course Moon from it's ancient past into modern day astrology.   And it was this VOC Moon that launched his astrological career. In 1940, Al was just beginning a career as a Federal law-enforcement-investigative officer, and very skeptical about astrology.   Noted astrologer Barbara Hunt  (later she became Barbara Watters) explained the Void of Course Moon to him, and he immediately began to explore the subject to disprove what he had been told, using data from the investigative case files he worked with.  When case after case showed that efforts to bring suspects in during the VOC proved fruitless, he was hooked, and began to study astrology in earnest.

"Al was one of the most important astrological figures of the Twentieth Century, and his passing was a great loss to the community. And I miss him very much."

An excerpt from the Memorial by Lorraine Welsh in the NCGR Journal, Fall, 1997:

"Al personally funded the research and the printing of ephemerides for more than a dozen lesser known asteroids, as well as supporting, early on, some of the work of Eleanor Bach, Lee Lehman, Nona Press, Diana Rosenberg, and others.

"He published a number of books that included Zane Stein's work on Chiron, Laurie Efrein's on the USA chart, and Father Laurence Cassidy's philosophical and ethical thoughts on Christianity and astrology. He distributed ephemerides on asteroids that interested him, like Pholus and Damocles, as well as of other phenomena like Halley's Comet and Saturn's Rings. And how did we ever get along without his annual Void of Course Moon Ephemeris that fit so handily in pocket or purse?

"Like Ellie Bach, he was generous with his knowledge. "Please feel free,' he wrote me, 'to use my commentary to fit whatever space comes up in the course of your editing, space-filler item, no particular date or urgency.' And he never expected anything for nothing. 'If it would be a paid ad, please send me a bill.' You could never do him a favor... he always returned twice as much as you ever expected in the way of reprints, pamphlets, or just encouragement. You ended up, always, in his debt."

Astrologer Julian Armistead of New York wrote in the Fall, 1997 NCGR Journal,

Andrew J. Bevan recalls, "I still have all my correspondance with Al since the beginning of the 80's in a folder. I once met him in New York, and he took me round and showed off the sites. There was a lunar eclipse that day. He took me to the World Trade Center, and when we stood on the top he was telling me how the towers were plane proof. But then looked at me and added: 'But then one day someone will probably try flying a Boeing through it.'"

This morning I came across a letter I received from Al in which he sent me his own chart with rectified Ascendant. He was replying to a query I had sent, but ended up talking about inter-racial marriages, homosexuality, attacks on his life, and bits and pieces in general.

I had forgotten all about him, as life became quite hectic and I relocated for a few years. Finding the letter  prompted me to google in his name where I found this tribute. I need to go and find the letter again, as I suspect he must have died quite soon after he wrote to me. A great and generous man with his time and knowledge.

Shane Abdelnour

Khartoum, Sudan

Al Morrison's First Page
An Off-Site Tribute
Memorials L-Z, Continued
To Memorials A-K
More New York Astrologers

DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? This memorial is interactive, and we welcome your memories and tributes, which we will add in the order received. (They may be edited for grammar, length, and suitability.) If there are any additional contributions we should mention or any inaccuracies in the memorial, please bring them to our attention. We would also love to have photos to bring back vivid memories. (Photos will be scanned and returned.) To suggest names, share memories, create tributes, or volunteer, send us an e-mail.

CREDITS: This memorial was created by Donna Cunningham of Word of Mouth Web Design.